Collapsible box.



LMCCORMACK & E E. LOUISELLE.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT 16. 1916.

JAMES MeooRMAcK AND EDWARD n. LoUIsnLLE, or SOUTH FRAMINGHAM,

MASSACHUSETTS.

l coLLAPSIBLE Box.

' Improvement in Collapsible Boxes,v of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to collapsible boxes or cases of the type used more or less commonly for marketing, or transporting, produce such as garden truck, and farm products generally; our immediate purpose being -to provide a strong, serviceable, and reasonably cheap, box in which such produce may be sent to market, by team or train; our said case being so constructed that it may be quickly collapsed and packed into small space for more conveniently returning it to the initial shipping point. 1n the annexed drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a case embodying our present invention and Fig. 2 shows the said case collapsed.

Fig. 3 is a top View of the meeting corners of two of the collapsible sides of the said case and of an automatic corner latch which forms an important feat-ure of novelty in connection with our improvement. Fig. 4 is a relatively enlarged perspective view of the latch members in the positions which they assume when two sides of the case are approaching each other and are just about to interlock with each other.

Fig. 5 is a. perspective Vview of the member 15 and Fig. 6 is a similar view of the spring controlled member 20.

In these drawings the numeral 10 indicates the bottom of the case, 11 and 12, denote two opposing sides that are hinged to said base and are adapted to be folded down upon the base, as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The other two sides, 13 and 14, are also hinged to the base 10 and are adapted to be folded down upon the sides 11 and 12, thus collapsing the case into small space for packing or transportation. At each corner of the set-up case we have provided a latch which operates automatically, as the sides are swung open, to latch together the meeting corners, said latch being indicated as a whole, in Figs. 1 and 3, by the letter a. The

said latch includes a plate 15, which is se- Speciication of Letters Patent.

Fatented Apr. 95,1918.

Application filed October 16, 1916. Serial No. 125,771.

cured to one box side by screws inserted at 16, a plate 17 which is secured to the conipanion box side byr screws inserted at 18-19, and a spring-controlled slide 20 which is located inthe angle formed by the plate 15 and is heldin position by a lip 21 (see Fig. 4), said plate 15 having an inset portion 15b to allow of positioning thereof interiorly of the plate 17.

The box4 side to which the plate 15 is screwed is notched, or otherwise cut away to receive the slide 20 and t0 form an abute ment for the lower end of the spring 22 by means of which the said slide is forced upward. The upper face ofv the slide is provided with an opening 28 which is suit-v ably positioned to slip over the lower end of a stud 24, which extends downward from the top plate of the member 17, when the latch parts are in their closed or locking positions, as seen in Fig. 3.

1n the operation of openingv up the sides or" the case, the side which carries the plate Y 17 is opened'rst. Y

The side which carries the members 15 and 2O is then opened and, when it has nearly reached its vertical position, the said plates 15 and 20 pass under the top plate of the member 17 and when the lower end of the stud 24 engages the rounded, or beveled, edge 20a of the slide, it forces the slide down and holds it down until the opening 23 moves into register with the stud, when the spring 22 forces the slide upward, over the stud, thus locking the corner members 15 and 17 together. At the same time an inwardly projecting lip 17a on the member 17 enters an opening 15a in the inset portion 15b of the plate 15 and then serves as a lock to prevent the latched box sides from springing apart when the case is filled with goods. j

When, however, it is desired to collapse the box sides it is only necessary to move the slide 20 downward by pressing down upon a lip 2()b formed at the lower edge of the member 20. The slide is thereby released from stud 24, and the box side which carries members 15 and 20 may bev iirst folded down, leaving the companion side free to follow.

Our described latclhing device is strong, and inexpensive to manufacture, being mainly punched from sheet metal, and it may be very quickly manipulated either to plate, one Wing of said .plate having a lip at an angle thereto, a second angular plate With one wing thereof provided with a lip at an angle thereto, received by the perforation of the first-referred to plate, a resiliently controlled member received Within the angle of the latter plate and having' slidable connection With said second angular plate, and held in position in connection With said first-referred to plate by the lip of the latter.

2. A, collapsible case, with foldable sides and a latch for engaging each corner ofthe case, including a perforated angular plate, one Wing of said plate having a lip at an angle thereto, a second angular plate with one Wing thereof provided with a lip at an angle thereto, received by the perforation of the iirst-referred-to plate, a resiliently controlled member adapted to fit into the angle of the first-referred-to angular plate, With the lip of the latter engaging, and aiding to retain said resiliently controlled member in position, said second referred to angular plate having a stud depending from its underside and received by an aperture in said resiliently controlled 35 member.

3. A collapsible case having foldablesides, a latch for engaging each corner thereof, including a perforated angular plate, one Wing of said plate having a lip at an angle 40 thereto, the other Wing of said plate itself being angular, for a portion of its length, with a case-side, a resiliently controlled member received Within the angle of said angular plate, and engaged by said lip of 45 the latter, and a second angular plate, with its upper portion overlying said first-re ferred-to plate and said resiliently-con-V trolled member, said second referred to angular'plate having one wing thereof provided With a lip entering the perforation of the first-referred to angular plate, said second referred to angular plate havinga depending stud entering an opening in said resiliently controlled member, said latter 55 member having' a lip adapted to be fingeractuated in releasing or overcoming the action of its resiliency.

JAMES MCCORMACK.' K EDWARD E. LUlSELLE.

Sonics et this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by avdressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, ID. C. 

